Shan Masood: “Shaheen has been a standout performer for Pakistan in all formats, and occasional challenges are part of the game”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Pakistan Test captain Shan Masood has refused to criticise Shaheen Shah Afridi for his drop in form as of late, saying the pace spearhead “has been a standout performer” in all formats over the years.
Afridi endured a subpar campaign in the recent three-Test series against Australia as he was limited to eight wickets in two matches at an average of 41.62.
His lack of wickets and slower bowling speed were both highlighted during the series, with many former players expressing their concerns and questioning the reason behind it.
However, Masood noted that poor form and other challenges are part of the parcel for international cricketers, and backed Afridi to get back to his best really soon.
“Shaheen has been a standout performer for Pakistan in all formats, and occasional challenges are part of the game,” he was quoted as saying by Cricket Pakistan.
Afridi recently captained Pakistan in their five-match T20I series against New Zealand and took nine wickets at an average of 19.22 and an economy rate of 8.94.
He will now captain the Lahore Qalandars in the 2024 Pakistan Super League (PSL), while Masood will lead the Karachi Kings.
PSL 9 will take place from February 17 to March 18 in four cities – Lahore, Multan, Karachi and Rawalpindi.
Lahore Qalandars Squad for PSL 9: Shaheen Shah Afridi (captain), Haris Rauf, David Wiese, Sikandar Raza, Abdullah Shafique, Zaman Khan, Mirza Tahir Baig, Rashid Khan (reserved), Fakhar Zaman, Rassie van der Dussen, Sahibzada Farhan, Muhammad Imran Jnr., Ahsan Hafeez Bhatti, Dan Lawrence (partially available), Jahandad Khan, Syed Faridoun Mahmood, Shai Hope, Kamran Ghulam, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Tayyab Abbas
Karachi Kings Squad for PSL 9: Shan Masood (captain), James Vince, Hasan Ali, Shoaib Malik, Tabraiz Shamsi, Mir Hamza, Muhammad Akhlaq, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Kieron Pollard (partially available), Zahid Mehmood, Daniel Sams, Mohammad Nawaz, Tim Seifert (reserved), Mohammad Amir Khan, Anwar Ali, Arafat Minhas, Sirajuddin, Saad Baig, Jamie Overton, Leus Du Plooy, Mohammad Rohid